Michael Cohen's Morning Buzz: Powell's staying in Memphis, but the American will have its share of movement this offseason

March 12, 2014 - Rutger's Jerome Seagears (right) drives the lane against the South Florida defense during second half action of their first round American Athletic Conference tournament game at FedExForum. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

For a moment, it looked like Pookie Powell was gone, another transfer to add to the list.

Powell, who sat out the 2013-14 season after failing to qualify academically, was in line to compete for the University of Memphis starting point guard spot next season following the departure of Joe Jackson. But a disagreement between Powell and Josh Pastner nearly sent the former top-100 recruit out the door, according to his father, RaShawn.

A day after our own Jason Smith reported that Powell was on his way out of Memphis — he got the news from Pookie's father — the issue was resolved. Pookie Powell, it seems, will remain a Tiger.

But for a brief period of time Powell's name was one of many — dozens, to be more specific — who planned to transfer during the upcoming summer. Jeff Goodman, a college basketball insider for ESPN, keeps a running list of players planning to change schools, and his 2014 list has already blown by the century mark.

As I wrote during the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, with Memphis preparing to play George Washington, transfers are coveted currency in the modern game of college basketball. Be it play-right-away options like David Pellom and Michael Dixon Jr. or wait-your-turn prospects that allow a team to build for the future, transfers are becoming some of the most valuable commodities in collegiate recruiting.

Sure, the likes of Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins will always be A-list stars, but players like Luke Hancock at Louisville (national championship in 2013) and DeAndre Kane at Iowa State (guided the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 this year) are sometimes even more influential.

As with every league, the American Athletic Conference will have its fair share of movement this offseason. Here's a look — based on Goodman's list — at the players in the AAC who are planning to change schools:

Craig Brown, junior, Rutgers

I know, I know: Rutgers is leaving the AAC in favor of greener pastures in the Big Ten. But for now the Scarlet Knights remain members of the American, and after a dismal season Brown wants out.

The 6-foot-5 hybrid player from Miami averaged 14.7 minutes per game this season under first-year head coach Eddie Jordan. He scored 3.6 points and grabbed 2.5 rebounds per game.

Brown was not rated by major recruiting services coming out of high school, and he arrived at Rutgers after attending community college in Florida.

D'Von Campbell, junior, Rutgers

Campbell, a 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 17.4 minutes this season, but he also wants out of Rutgers. He scored 5.4 points and dished out 1.5 assists per game while playing well behind starting point guard Myles Mack.

Like Brown, Campbell was not rated by most of the mainstream recruiting services. He too arrived at Rutgers by way of junior college.

Jerome Seagears, junior, Rutgers

Of the three players leaving Rutgers, Seagears was far and away the top contributor. The junior from Maryland played more than 21 minutes per game this season, chipping in 7.1 points and 3.2 assists. He also shot better than 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

Seagears was a 3-star prospect coming out of high school, according to ESPN, and will likely receive a good bit of attention from other programs this summer. He is a proven commodity — he's played more than 20 minutes per game in all three seasons at Rutgers — with the experience and talent necessary to contribute at the Division I level.

Josh Heath, freshman, South Florida

Heath, a point guard, is the son of former USF coach Stan Heath, who was fired at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. He was forced into action this season following a season-ending knee injury to the Bulls' starting point guard, Anthony Collins.

But Heath played extremely well in his floor general role, running the offense well and showing the traits indicative of a successful point guard down the road. He averaged 2.6 points and 3.6 assists this year.

When his father was fired, it was assumed Heath would transfer. He has since been granted his release.

Kevin Ware, junior, Louisville

Ware played just 53 minutes this season after returning from the catastrophic knee injury that was one of the lasting images of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Though he returned to the court temporarily, the knee and leg did not quite reach full strength, and Ware sat out the majority of the year.

The wiry, 6-foot-2 guard played 16.6 minutes per game the year Louisville won the national title, chipping in with 4.5 points and 1.1 steals. He was a relentless defender off the bench for head coach Rick Pitino, and that made him an important cog in the Cardinals' full-court press.

And though he didn't shoot from beyond the arc often, Ware was potent in his limited attempts. He shot 15-for-37 on the season, better than 40 percent.

Anthony Lee, junior, Temple

Lee was arguably the most consistent player on a Temple team that had a forgettable season. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, serving as the inside complement to sharpshooter Dalton Pepper.

Lee is on pace to graduate, according to Goodman, which means he is eligible to play right away next season. Like Pellom and Dixon, Lee was a hot commodity with nearly a dozen high-major schools contacting him about his services.